There are a lot of swords out there. The past ages have given us countless examples to follow when it comes to building blades, and many have histories and stories behind them that most are unaware of. Our solution to that is this - our Sword of the Month newsletter! Designed to educate and inform, this newsletter will give you the run-down on some of history's incredible swords, both factual and fictional. We will give you a close-up of some of the deadliest weapons to grace the battlefield; before we are done you will not only know what the sword looks like, but where it came from, what battles it might have fought in, what the sword can do (in the case of blades from myth and legend), and more! So sit back, sword aficionados, and enjoy some facts about one of the many blades that helped to make history!

Tolkien's lore is rich with small details which help to flesh out his stories. This gives fans a huge amount of lore to appreciate, so much so that the scope of it can sometimes be overwhelming. This month, we shine our spotlight on one of the blades Tolkien crafted in his storytelling. Once forged for a king, this sword was lost for thousands of years before it turned up in a troll-horde. The sword we speak of is Glamdring, famously wielded by the wizard Gandalf in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Gandalf was not the sword's only wielder, though. Glamdring was forged during the First Age for an elf named Turgon. One of the Noldorin elves, Turgon founded and ruled the city of Gondolin, a hidden refuge for elves in the lands of Middle-Earth. Magnificent as it was, Glamdring was only used in two battles. This was due to Turgon choosing to remain apart from the affairs of most in Middle-Earth. The first battle Glamdring saw was known as the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Un-numbered Tears. During this battle, Turgon fought alongside his king and brother, Fingon, against the sinister dark lord Morgoth. The battle ended in bitter defeat for Turgon, who lost his brother and became King of the Noldorin. The second time Turgon used Glamdring in battle was the day of his death, during the Fall of Gondolin. Turgon wielded Glamdring against the city's assailants and died fighting against those who assaulted his beloved city. After that, Glamdring vanished.

The sword remained a forgotten relic for over 6 millennia. Strange circumstances led to its discovery late into the Third Age when Gandalf rescued Bilbo, Thorin, and his company of dwarves from the clutches of three hungry trolls. Within the trolls' cave, Gandalf discovered a weapon of fine make and immediately claimed it as his own. From then on, Glamdring became the wizard's personal sword. Gandalf wasted no time in putting Glamdring to good use; his first kill with the sword was the Great Goblin that ruled the orc clans of the Misty Mountains. The sword remained at his side through the rest of his many adventures and was his near constant companion throughout most of the War of the Ring. With it, Gandalf defeated many orcs and foul creatures, including a fabled balrog.

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Glamdring is a formidable and finely crafted weapon. Forged by the elves of old, its form is interwoven with greater power that makes it much more than just a length of sharpened steel. An example of this is its ability to glow; in the books Glamdring was said to emit a cold, white light when orcs were near. Despite only being used twice by its original owner, Glamdring earned a vicious reputation among goblins and orcs. They knew the sword as "Beater," and their fear of it was so great that it remained a terrifying legend for thousands of years. Glamdring was also sometimes referred to as "Foe-Hammer."

Depending on the source, Glamdring's appearance can vary. The Hobbit book gives few details to the blade, noting only that it has a beautiful scabbard and a jeweled hilt. Its appearance is elaborated on further in the book Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth, where the sword of Turgon is mentioned as being white and gold in color with a "reul-bone" or ivory sheath. One of the most popular depictions of the sword comes from the Peter Jackson film trilogy. In the films, Glamdring is a hand and a half sword with a leaf-shaped blade, a wide guard, a blue grip, and a long scent stopper pommel. Set in the guard is a small blue gem and a runic inscription that reads "Turgon Aran Gondolin, Tortha gar a matha Glamdring, Vegil Glamdring gud daelo. Dam an Glamhoth." These runes translate as "Turgon, King of Gondolin, wields, has, and holds the sword Glamdring, Foe of Morgoth's realm, Hammer of the Orcs."

What happens to Glamdring after the War of the Ring is a mystery. Some sources claim that when Gandalf sailed west for Valinor, he left Glamdring in the treasure vaults of Minas Tirith. Others imply that the sword traveled with him, his constant companion in peace as it was in times of war.

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